iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

A day full of little miracles! 🐟🪰🔬✨ We opened our lab doors for “Türen auf mit der Maus” and welcomed curious young explorers to our Institute. This year’s theme was “Little Miracles” and there were plenty to discover! Thanks to everyone who joined us and helped make the day so special!

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

New paper alert at our Institute 📣 Research in zebra finches reveals how precisely timed neural activity helps segment continuous birdsong into meaningful units. 🐦🎶 Read the publication: www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Congratulations to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel on the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics. 👏🥂 We are proud that some of the groundbreaking research was made here on our Campus in Martinsried.

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Upcoming Thursday, our “IMPRS Lecture Quartet” with Prof. Dr. Thomas Misgeld, Prof. Dr. Herwig Baier and Dr. Maude Baldwin is taking place! The event is addressed to (early-career) scientists – hope to see you there! 📅 October 8th at 13:00-16:30 p.m. 📍 Room NQ105, Martinsried @tum.de

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#pictureofthemonth: A mouse brain with genetic changes that cause its smooth surface to fold – providing new insights into the mechanisms of the formation of brain wrinkles. Read more: www.bi.mpg.de/klein October – Calendar of @mpiforbi.bsky.social and @mpibiochem.bsky.social 📸 Seung Hee Chun

Microscope image of a brain slice with neuronal structures visible in green, purple and blue

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Your PhD journey starts here and now! 🚀 🎓 We are recruiting PhD students in the life sciences for our international and fully funded graduate program IMPRS-BI in the Munich area, Germany. 📆 Apply from: 01 October 2026 ⏰ Deadline: 10 November 2026 ❗ Apply now: imprs-bi.mpg.de/51861/How-to...

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Female ruffs grow faster and fledge earlier, shifting the sex ratio from hatching to fledging: Read the new paper from the Küpper & Kempenaers groups!

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

How do neurons grow during their early stages of development? And how can these processes be reactivated so that damaged neurons can regenerate? Don’t miss Frank Bradke, Professor at the DZNE Bonn @dzne.science, at our next keynote lecture! 📅 September 29 at 11:00 a.m. 📍 Room NQ105, Martinsried

Poster announcing a keynote lecture by Frank Bradke. The poster's background features a stylized, single-color illustration of a neuron with branching axons and circular nodes.

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

On September 16, 1958, the first Max Planck Institute in Seewiesen was officially inaugurated in the presence of Otto Hahn, then President of the @maxplanck.de. Over the following decades, Seewiesen became a famous location for behavioral research. ➡️ www.bi.mpg.de/mpio-history

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Peter Santema @petersantema.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

New #ornithology paper out in @ecography.bsky.social! The tendency of birds to return to the same breeding area in different years varies wildly among species. We show that breeding site fidelity is much lower in #shorebirds nesting in the #Arctic tundra than in those nesting in other habitats. 1/n

Map showing the geographic locations of shorebird populations included in the study, alongside four Arctic-breeding shorebird species with low breeding-site fidelity: Red Phalarope, Long-billed Dowitcher, White-rumped Sandpiper, and Pectoral Sandpiper.

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A new study shows that shorebirds breeding in the Arctic tundra are far less likely to return to the same breeding sites than those in other habitats. In the high Arctic, return rates can drop to just 10 %. 🔗 Press release: www.bi.mpg.de/news/2026-09... 🎬 Picture by Kaspar Delhey

Shorebird standing on dry grass in a natural habitat

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Max-Planck-Gesellschaft @maxplanck.de · 09/09/2026

We are hiring! Start at a #MaxPlanckInstitute with your own independent Max Planck Research Group. This position is equivalent to a W2 Professorship at a German university, or Associate Professor internationally. 🔗Apply until October 14th! www.mpg.de/career/max-p... #ScienceCareer #MPRG #TenureTrack

Call for independent Max Planck Research Groups

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

The study was carried out by our Institute in close collaboration with Loro Parque Fundación, whose support makes our long-term research with these remarkable parrots possible. ➡️ Read the full story: royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article... 🎬 Video ©LoroParque, Adrian Azcárate

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

In a new study, macaws at @loroparque.bsky.social copied specific features of demonstrated solutions, including the direction of movement & how an object was manipulated. This ability could help behaviors spread through social groups and may provide a building block for shared behavioral traditions.

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Max-Planck-Gesellschaft @maxplanck.de · 01/09/2026

Apply to our #postdoc program! 🤓🧑‍🔬 Applications are now open until October 13th, 2026 - don’t miss your chance to take your research to the next level with expert mentorship, workshops, coaching and more. www.mpg.de/en/max-planc...

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BirdGuides @birdguides.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

A new study has tracked female Eurasian Dotterel throughout an entire summer for the first time, revealing a summer of long-distance travel in search of multiple partners:

f.mtr.cool

Tags reveal 'summer of love' for Eurasian Dotterel

The first study to track female Eurasian Dotterel across an entire breeding season reveals a summer of long-distance travel in search of multiple partners.

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

We congratulate Annika Zähr from our Institute who received the Trainee award this year! She completed her education as lab technician and is being honored for her exceptional achievements in her vocational training. Since 2007, the @maxplanck.de has been honoring outstanding vocational trainees.

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

A warm welcome to our new vocational trainees who are starting their training at @mpiforbi.bsky.social and @mpibiochem.bsky.social! 🎉 We’re excited to have you with us and wish you a great and successful start to your training. There’s lots to discover, learn and experience. 🚀

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Max-Planck-Gesellschaft @maxplanck.de · 03/09/2026

Intriguing new study by @mpiforbi.bsky.social suggests female Eurasian #dotterels are completely redefining breeding season mobility - after laying eggs for 1 male, who stays behind to raise chicks alone, the brightly-coloured females fly up to 1,300 km across Northern Europe to find new partners.

mpg.de

Female Dotterels have multiple mates across northern Europe

The first study to track females of a socially polyandrous bird across a whole breeding season, reveals a summer of long-distance travel

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Peter Santema @petersantema.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

New #ornithology paper out in @royalsocietypublishing.org! We show that female dotterels can move across large distances within a single breeding season in search of mating opportunities, visiting up to five different sites (median: 3) and travelling up to 1000 km between sites (median: 71 km). 1/n

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Surprising journey: Researchers tracked 21 female Eurasian Dotterels via satellite transmitters during breeding season. The results suggest that they may search for additional mating opportunities in large areas. 🔗 Press release: www.bi.mpg.de/news/2026-09... 🎬 Video by Gabriel Low

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Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry @mpibiochem.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

#pictureofthemonth: A view of a neuronal environment showing several neurons and their dendrites and axons forming a densely connective network. 📸E.M. Schentarra, E. Unterauer More: www.nature.com/articles/s41... September – Calendar of @mpiforbi.bsky.social and @mpibiochem.bsky.social

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Federation of European Neuroscience Societies - FENS @fens.org · 28/08/2026

📢 Registration closes 5 September for the #BrainConference on Neural Foundations of Communication! 📍 Crete, Greece 🗓️ 5–8 October 2026 👉 View the programme: buff.ly/KEjjJaY 👉 Read more and register: buff.ly/hy0Kqkm @brainprize.org

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Reptilian soundscapes 🦎💬 You can find out more about the vocalization of geckos in the study by Henrik Brumm and Sue Ann Zollinger. Here is the press release: www.bi.mpg.de/1502636/news...

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

How does sexual selection produce strikingly different phenotypes from the same genetic material? Find out at our next keynote lecture by @judithmank.bsky.social, Professor of Evolutionary Genomics at @zoology.ubc.ca & @ubcbiodiversity.bsky.social. 📅 August 25 at 11:00a.m. 📍 Room NQ105, Martinsried

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

#pictureofthemonth: The eye of a zebrafish larva. The cells inside the eye are important for detecting visual features in the environment and sending such information to the brain. More: www.bi.mpg.de/baier August – Calendar of @mpiforbi.bsky.social and @mpibiochem.bsky.social 📸 Man Yung Ng

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Congrats to Ann Rose Bright @annrosebright.bsky.social and Inbal Shainer @ishainer.bsky.social on winning the Young Scientist Award! Their work shows that neurons born late can speed up maturation, and a neuron’s identity depends on location, not just genes. More: www.bi.mpg.de/news/2026-07...

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Our annual summer party brought everyone together: colleagues, families, and friends. From relaxing with cold drinks to kids enjoying games and crafts – it was all about coming together as a community. A special shoutout to our employee choir and band for the perfect soundtrack to the evening!

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

“I might be nerdy, but I am faster than you!” This week, 45 colleagues from our Institute and @mpibiochem.bsky.social joined the 6 km long b2run Munich at Olympiapark. Fantastic team spirit, great energy and a strong finish! 🧠 🏃‍♂️‍➡️🏃‍♀️‍➡️🏅 📷 Picture by Axel Griesch

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Wir sind immer noch begeistert von der Enthüllung unseres neuen Campus-Entwurfs! Hier die besten Zitate aus unserer Pressekonferenz am Montag. 👉 Vollständige Pressemitteilung und Zitate: www.bi.mpg.de/2026-07-neuer-campus 👉 Informationen zum Besuch der Ausstellung: www.mpg.de/mpg-campus-martinsried

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Vielen Dank für Ihren Besuch an unserem Institut und das Teilen dieses wichtigen Meilensteins! Es freut uns sehr, dass die Pressekonferenz und die Ausstellung des Siegermodells auf so großes Interesse gestoßen sind.

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Die Entwürfe sind jetzt öffentlich ausgestellt und können bis 12. Oktober auf eigene Faust oder im Rahmen einer öffentlichen Führung erkundet werden. Mehr Informationen unter: www.mpg.de/mpg-campus-martinsried

mpg.de

MPG Campus Martinsried

Der neue Campus in Martinsried bietet flexible, nachhaltige Forschungsgebäude für zukunftsweisende Wissenschaft und Innovation.

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Auf der heutigen Pressekonferenz wurde der Siegerentwurf des neuen Max-Planck-Campus in Martinsried vorgestellt. Das Konzept setzt auf Vernetzung, Nachhaltigkeit und moderne Forschungsbedingungen – ein Campus für die Wissenschaft von morgen! Pressemitteilung: www.bi.mpg.de/2026-07-neuer-campus

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Wie sieht unser Max-Planck-Campus der Zukunft aus? Die vielfältigen Ideen des Planungswettbewerbs und den Siegerentwurf zeigen wir von Juli – Oktober in einer Ausstellung. 📅 14. Juli 2026: Eröffnung um 10 Uhr 📍 Foyer der Max-Planck-Institute 👉 Infos unter: www.mpg.de/mpg-campus-martinsried

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Uncovering hidden energy strategies in flight: Sex difference in metabolic response of free-flying pigeons. A new study shows that similar movement performance can mask profound physiological differences. Scientific paper: doi.org/10.1098/rsbl... Study by @stefi-casagrande.bsky.social

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Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry @mpibiochem.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

#pictureofthemonth: Plant cells use tiny pores called plasmodesmata to talk to each other. The rendering, shows how everything links together. More: www.biochem.mpg.de/baumeister-p... July – Calendar of @mpiforbi.bsky.social and @mpibiochem.bsky.social 📸 by Monika Krause & Marcel Dickmanns

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Harbor seals are remarkable central place foragers, repeatedly returning to specific coastal sites. 🦭 🧭 Don’t miss our talk on harbor seal orientation and navigation by Prof. Dr. Frederike Hanke, University of Rostock. 📅 July 7 at 11:00 a.m. 📍 Room NQ105, Martinsried Art: @somedonkey.bsky.social

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Check out this new paper by our former group leader, Irina Dudanova, and team, showing that targeted light pulses improve motor function in Huntington's disease. Find more information also here: www.bi.mpg.de/news/2026-07...

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Shhh... do you hear that? The birds are speaking! 🐦💬 Did you know that a bird’s survival in the wild depends entirely on its sophisticated communication? 🎵 Come to @munichsoapbox.bsky.social and discover the secret language of birds with our researcher Lisa-Marie Livancic!

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Curious about understanding sleep homeostasis? Find out more at our next “Emerging Scientist Talk” with Raffaele Sarnataro @rafsarnataro.bsky.social, Postdoc at the Francis Crick Institute @crick.ac.uk. 📅 July 1 at 11:00 a.m. 📍 Room NQ105, Martinsried Art by @somedonkey.bsky.social

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MPI for Biological Intelligence @mpiforbi.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Call them Dr., please! 🎓 We are incredibly proud of our recently graduated PhDs and wish them all the best for their future! 🎉✨ @amirmasoud92.bsky.social / @esha-haldar2025.bsky.social / @alexzemella.bsky.social

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